Constitution Hill the star but Henderson's Cheltenham team is looking powerful

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After sputtering along for longer than we had hoped for, the jumps season came alive on Saturday headlined by that outstanding performance from Constitution Hill at Newcastle.

It is remarkable to think that the widely held view is that Constitution Hill is capable of even better than what he showed in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle because, to these eyes at least, what he did was perfection. To surmise he is capable of being even more perfect is truly extraordinary.

Discussions have now turned to where Constitution Hill may rank among the all-time greats of jump racing as, to paraphrase Betfair’s Barry Orr, he settled the race at Newcastle in strides and in doing so also settled what is going to happen in the Unibet Champion Hurdle in March.

Of course, we must give due consideration to Honeysuckle, who is unbeaten over hurdles in 16 starts which include back-to-back victories in the Champion Hurdle. Nevertheless, many will have Constitution Hill down as one of the bankers of the Cheltenham Festival, and rightly so.

Yet, while Constitution Hill has been getting the headlines he was not the only impressive performer to be sent out from Henderson’s Seven Barrows yard over the last few days.

The likes of Jet Powered, Champ and Luccia were victorious for Henderson and have muscled their way into prominent positions in the betting for races at the Cheltenham Festival, joining the likes of Jonbon, Shishkin and Marie’s Rock as fancies for festival glory.

Constitution Hill: devastating at NewcastleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Such an array of talent prompts thoughts about what Henderson and his team might be able to achieve at Cheltenham in March, and whether his stable might be able to add some balance to a meeting that has been overrun by brilliance from Ireland in recent years.

Henderson’s potential squad for the first day, in particular, has a Willie Mullins-esque look to it, with Jet Powered second favourite for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Jonbon market leader in the Sporting Life Arkle, Constitution Hill favourite for the Champion Hurdle and last year’s winner Marie’s Rock, plus Epatante, towards the head of the betting for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.

Shishkin, who is second favourite for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, will have the opportunity to show his wellbeing in the Betfair Tingle Creek at Sandown on Saturday, Champ halved in price for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle after winning the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and Luccia looked potentially out of the top draw when winning on Saturday, a victory that promoted her to favouritism for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

It could be argued, on paper at least, Henderson has one of his strongest teams for the Cheltenham Festival since 2012, when he recorded seven victories and Conor Murphy, a member of his staff, copped a £1 million payout for a £50 ante-post accumulator placed on five of the yard’s winners.

Sprinter Sacre, Simonsig, Bobs Worth, Finian’s Rainbow, Riverside Theatre, Bellvano and Une Artiste were the winners that year for Henderson, the last of which was partnered by Jerry McGrath to come home in front in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

“I’ll never forget that week, it was incredible,” McGrath says. “We all know how fragile horses can be, so to get them there in tip-top form and for them to run like they did was different class.

“Une Artiste was my first Cheltenham Festival winner, Paul Carberry produced something special to win on Bellvano and then what happened to Conor Murphy, who is one of my best mates, winning big like he did on that bet just topped it off.”

McGrath, who retired from riding in January and is now a burgeoning bloodstock agent, is still a regular visitor to Henderson’s and expects more potential stars to reveal themselves as the weeks roll on, pointing to Jet Powered as an example of how horses can differ at home and the races.

“Jet Powered’s work at home has been okay but it hadn’t been unbelievable, and then he was able to produce that,” he says. “I know he was well fancied at Newbury, but I think a lot of that was from reputation outside of the yard; I was in Newmarket last week for the sales and people there were asking me about him!”

Some may think talk of Henderson repeating, or even getting close to, what he did in 2012 is premature and potentially rather daft, especially given the time still to go until Cheltenham and the myriad things that can go wrong in the intervening period.

While this is somewhat true, the importance of the Cheltenham Festival for Henderson cannot be overstated, McGrath says.

Luccia: another Newbury winner for Nicky HendersonCredit: Edward Whitaker

“Nicky’s season revolves around what happens at Prestbury Park in March and he wants to have runners and winners there,” he says. “He might give the impression that he isn’t thinking about who might go where and what will suit each horse, but right now he’s thinking about the route for every one of his horses who are good enough.

“With the Graded horses, you would have a fair idea already about how good your team could be, although we all know what can happen with horses.

“Nicky’s is an extremely exciting place to be at the moment and I would like to think there’s still a few more to look forward to in the likes of the novice hurdles and the juveniles who haven’t run.”

Monday's picks

On Wednesday, Pink Haze is due to go under the hammer at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale where those connected with her will be hoping she attracts interest from potential buyers.

Her chances of doing so will be enhanced no end by her getting her head in front for the first time, something that will hopefully happen in the 1m4f handicap (1.45) at Kempton today.

Trained by David Simcock for Jim and Fitri Hay, Pink Haze has not really lived up to her pedigree so far (by Lope De Vega and related to a host of black-type performers) but she certainly took a step forward on her handicap debut at Chelmsford last time out.

On that occasion, her inexperience counted against her as she lost track position, a situation that was compounded by her being outpaced as the tempo lifted turning into the straight.

Briefly hampered after swinging out wide, the filly stuck on solidly and unspectacularly to take fourth, looking like 1m2f was the minimum trip for her. As such, the extra distance should suit her down to the ground, as should the long straight at Kempton.

While she is no world beater, Pink Haze does look honest and on a feasible handicap mark. She is taking on a mixed bag of opponents, so is worth chancing to come away with victory today.

I do wonder what prompted the naming of the other horse I like the look of at Kempton, Dashing Rat. Whatever the case, he is an interesting runner in the 7f handicap (3.15).

Once rated 88, Dashing Rat has since plummeted down the handicap and lines up off an all-time low of 57, something that seemed unlikely as recently as May when he put up a good performance to be third at Newmarket off 74.

Dashing Rat has not won in 16 starts and is not straightforward (he has hung in his races) but he was in the process of running well over course and distance last time when hampered late on.

He was running in blinkers for the first time that day, so there is the possibility that might have been the day to catch him and he won’t repeat the effort this time. However, if he does then he is more than capable of being involved in a race like this.

Three things to look out for today . . .

1. The all-weather returns with a bang at Kempton after a blank seven days for Flat racing last week, bar the restricted meeting at Wolverhampton, with the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Hyde Stakes (5.15) taking place this evening. Last year, the contest was won by 80-1 shot Madame Tanzy, while the 2020 edition was landed by Kinross, winner of the Group 1 Prix de la Foret and Group 1 British Champions Sprint Stakes this autumn. The most intriguing runner in this year’s race is Cash, who was last seen going down by a mere short head to future Irish Derby winner Westover in the Classic Trial at Sandown in April. Among his rivals are Dhabab, a smart winner of a handicap on his all-weather debut last month, and Tinker Toy, winner of the Listed Lady Wulfruna on his most recent outing at Wolverhampton in March.

2. Artistic Choice is an eyecatching debutant over hurdles at Catterick, where he lines up in the opening juvenile hurdle (12.30). The three-year-old is trained by Michael Bell, who is not adverse to having a runner over hurdles but is far from a regular in doing so. Last season he had one winner under National Hunt rules from four runners, while during the 2016-17 season he had four winners from only nine runners. What is even more eyecatching about Artistic Choice is his breeding, as he is set to become the first runner over jumps for his sire, Caravaggio, certainly in Britain and Ireland. A winner at the top-level in the Phoenix Stakes and Commonwealth Cup, as well as scoring in the Coventry Stakes, Caravaggio’s star performers so far have been Tenebrism and Maljoom.

3. It is back to Kempton for our third race of the race, with the 7f juvenile novice (4.15) a race that has the potential to throw up a decent performer or two for 2023. A race for horses whose sire and/or dam has won over at least 1m2f, there are some big yards and big pedigrees on show. Chief among them looks to be Dragon Icon, a 360,000gns brother to 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Aunt Pearl who races in the colours of Dragon Symbol’s owner Yoshiro Kubota. Elnajmm, Solution and Brightly also could be useful runners next year if their breeding is anything to go by, so it should be worth making time to observe this contest.

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content